Spark-intensifier



P. A. SCHAEFEH.

SPARK INTENSIFIER.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.24, 1920.

1,395,737. Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SPARK-1N TENSIFIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented N ov. 1, 1921.

Application filed August 24, 1920. Serial No. 405,580.

T o all wit-0m 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, PETER A. SCHAEEER, citizen of the United States, residing at Greensburg. in the county of lestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spark-Intensifiers, of which the following is a specification.

This inventlon relates to an improved fiow to the plug for thus insuring the generation of a good hot spark at the plug.

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a device wherein the spark gaps thereof will be inclosed so that, in practical use, the device will be entirely safe and wherein the occurrence of a spark at any one of said gaps may be readily observed.

Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional View showing my improved device connected to a spark plug, the plug being conventionally illustrated, and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the device in detai Referring now more particularly to the drawing, I employ a stop or core 10 of suitable insulating material. Riveted or otherwise secured to the end portions of the core are terminals which, for convenience', have been indicated at 11 and 12 respectively. As will be observed, these terminals are offset to extend axially of the core and at their outer end portions are provided withsuit-- able openings therethrough. Engaged through the core between the inner ends of, the terminals 11 and 12 is a series of spaced headed electrodes 13. Three of said electrodes are preferably employed and, as will be noted, the heads of said electrodes are arranged at t-he upper side of the core, the distance between the heads as well as the distance between`the heads of the outermost electrodes and the inner ends of the terminals being equal to provide a'plurality of spark gaps. Fitted over the terminals 11 and 12 are metallic thimbles 14, the end walls of which are slotted to receive the terminals therethrough so that said walls abut the offsets in the terminals and preferably the end walls of the thimbles are soldered or otherwise fixed to the terminals for holding the thimbles rigid thereon. Fitted at its end portionsinto the thimbles and centered thereby with respect to the core, is a transparent housing tube 15. This housing tube may be of glass or other approved transparent material and surrounding each ofthe end portions of the tube within the thimbles is a cernent`or other approved blnder 16 firmly uniting the tube with the thimbles. Thus, as will be seen, the tube will coperate with the thimbles to provide a sealed housing for the spark gaps, the joints between the tube and the thimbles as well as the joints between the thimbles and theitermmals 11 and 12 being closed. Consequently, in the practical use of the device, a spark occurring within the housing cannot ignite fuel vapors collected about the device so that the device will, accordingly, be entirely safe. Fitted through the yterminal 12 is a binding post 17 which carries a thumb nut 18.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, is shown the manner in which my improved intensifier is used. As illustrated, the terminal 11 of the device is connected to a spark plug which, for convenience, has been conventionally shown at 19, while the circuit wire 20 ordinarily connected directly to the plug is engaged with the binding post 17, being secured upon said post by the nut 18. Thus, current flowing through the wire20 must pass through t-he device to the plug. Upon reaching the inner end of the terminal 12 the current will first jump to the adjacent one of the electrodes 13, then to the intermediate electrode, then to the third electrode, and finally to the terminal 11, crossing all of the spark gaps. As will be seen, this will result in the creation of a strong hot spark between the electrodes of the plug. The device will, therefore. operate to insure dependable firing of the plug and due to the intensity of the spark created at the plurir will tend to maintain the electrodes thereof clean and free of oil or carbon.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the character described including an insulating core, terminals secured to one side of the core and o'set to extend axially thereof, an electrode mounted upon the core to provide spark gaps between the electrode and said terminals, thimbles fitting over the terminals to abut the offsets therein, and a housing tube extending between and supported by the thimbles to inclose said spark gaps.

2. An intensifier including an insulating strip, terminals carried. by the end portions of the strip, means extending through the strip and said terminals securing the terminals to the strip, an electrode upon the stri between the inner enwds of sald termina s providing spark gaps between the electrode and the terminals, and a housing inclosmi said spark gaps.

3. n intensifier including spaced terminals, an insulating strip forming a rigid connection between said terminals, an electrode upon the strip between the terminals providing spark gaps between the electrode and the terminals, thimbles' upon the terminals, and a tube extending between said thimbles housing the strip.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

PETER A. SCHAEFER. [L 8.] 

